Deegan Takes on Global Rally Cross!
Brian Deegan has reached the pinnacle of his sport as an action sports icon Moto X and X Games champion, but like all great champions the drive to compete and succeed reigns supreme. Deegan, looking for the next championship to conquer, took a big chance two years ago climbing into a Fiesta at X Games with only a handful of four-wheel events (truck) on his resume. He finished fourth in the 2009 X Games as a failed turbo cost him an epic semi-final showdown with his arch- rival Travis Pastrana. A year later Deegan returned to X Games, vanquished Pastrana and took second in SuperRally and RallyCross. Back for a third run at X Games rally gold, the 14 time X Games medalist will make his Global RallyCross Championship debut this weekend in Colorado as a tune up for next month’s X Games 17 in LA. This Week in Ford Racing caught up with ‘The General’ and founder of the Metal Mulisha to talk about his rally program.
You have had the Global RallyCross Championship event on your schedule since early this year as a tune up for X Games. It falls in the middle of the Lucas Oil Off Road Series season in which you are racing a F-150 Raptor.
“I’ve definitely had a very busy schedule this year with all the truck racing, riding dirt bikes, stock cars. It’s getting close to X Games and I have to get prepared for RallyCross. Last year, I only had one day of practice for a couple hours and I went in and had a really good race. This year I want to be more prepared, so I’m going to go out to the Global RallyCross at Pikes Peak and try to get more familiar with the car. The Fiesta is definitely a lot different than anything I drive so it’s something I really want to go up there, get a lot of seat time in and use it as a big practice. I will go up there and get the car dialed in for X Games and that’s the plan. I know there are a lot of other guys up there that have had more time in the car, so I’m just going to have to go up there, be smart and try to beat them.“
You had a test in the Fiesta this weekend, how did that go?
“I tested and went out with the team and we laid out some track at the test spot. It was all on tarmac. It was good. My Rockstar Fiesta is brand new. It just got built so we were breaking it in and getting everything adjusted on it. I think we got it pretty close to where we want it for this weekend. The car is just fun. This is definitely the best rally car I have driven. I just have to get it dialed in to meet my needs. So it was a good test. I ended up blowing about four or five sets of tires off the car. It just has so much power I just blew one of the tires off the wheel. It was pretty cool."
Have you had a chance to watch one of the Global Rally Cross events this year? Have you talked with Tanner Foust, do you have any insight into what to expect this weekend?
“I talked to Tanner a little bit and he’s always a good teammate, someone that’s always behind to help me out. That’s what I like about him. I’m just going to have to pick his brain at the event. He always helps me to a point, gives me the basics and leaves it at that. It’s up to me to take no prisoners. Teammate or not I need to win, so that’s the plan.”
With the mix of more tarmac and you traditionally doing more of off-road, is this a big adjustment for you?
“Yeah, I feel at home on the dirt. I was watching one of the rally races up in Seattle and I’m like ‘That would’ve been a perfect race for me, real soft, choppy and bumpy and picking lines.’ Going out on the tarmac is kind of like a different world to me, but I feel like if I drive my race and I have a strategy for it and I think it’ll work. So I think I’ll be fine. I’ve been racing stock cars quite a bit and that’s all on pavement. I’ve got a good feel for what a tire should do on the maximum grip, finding traction and pushing it to the limit before it breaks lose. I think I’m more prepared for the tarmac this year than I would be last year, for sure.”
Deegan Signs with Ford Racing!
It's Official! Brian Deegan recently signed a deal with Ford Racing to compete across multiple motorsports platforms including the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, Global Rally Cross Championship events and X-Games.
Official Press Release:
DEARBORN, Mich. – April 12, 2011 – At the age of 17, Brian Deegan left his home in Omaha and headed for Southern California with only the F-150 he drove, a credit card and his dirt bike, dreaming of becoming the next big thing in Motocross. That 1989 Ford truck carried him and his dreams halfway across the country and to an entirely new life – the one he pictured growing up in the heartland. In the 17 years since Deegan has become a recognized innovator of FMX, one of the most decorated X Games athletes and an icon in action sports. He’s not done yet. Deegan is now looking to take that same competitive fire to four-wheel motorsports and again looks to Ford to help him get there.
Deegan’s partnership with Ford Racing announced today will allow him to race Fords in multiple action motorsports platforms, including the Ford Raptor in the Lucas Oil Off Road Series, Global RallyCross Championship and at X Games 17 in Los Angeles.
“I’m a Ford guy – always have been – and I’m really excited about working together. In order to be successful as a racer I need to be with the best,” Deegan said. “When you think of racing, especially off-road truck, Ford has dominated, and there is nothing I’d rather be behind the wheel of.”
Deegan, who earned the nickname “The General” after founding the famed Metal Mulisha dirt bike team, has established himself as one of action sports’ cultural icons. Credited as the creator of FMX and an action sports pioneer, Deegan parlayed that success into becoming an influential cultural and lifestyle voice through the Metal Mulisha line of clothing, apparel and lifestyle products. Deegan has been nominated for an ESPY Award, has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Athletes of Action Sports and is a 12-time X Game medalist.
A rising star in the Lucas Oil Off Road Series racing a Ford F-150 truck, Deegan won the Championship in 2009 and was named Lucas Oil Driver of the Year in 2010. Accustomed to the spotlight at X Games, Deegan has tackled the rally competition in a Ford Fiesta the last two years. In 2010 he won a pair of silver medals at the LA Coliseum. “One thing I am used to is riding dirt bikes,” Deegan said. “I grew up doing it ever since I was eight years old and I feel comfortable there. I went out and won a lot of medals and (then) won at supercross.”
“However there comes a time in your life where you’re like ‘have I done it all, or do I want to take on the next chapter?’ and I saw four-wheels as the next chapter. When the opportunity came through Rockstar and Ford to race rally car at X Games , I was like ‘It sounds pretty cool and I am going to go for it.’ For an athlete who comes from the top of the game to start at the bottom again, it isn’t easy. You have to kill your ego and your confidence is back to where you have to start over and try to learn this as fast as possible. I feel like my technique from dirt bikes and learning how to be the best at a sport has carried over.”
As part of the agreement, Deegan will begin running in the Global RallyCross Championship as his Lucas Oil schedule allows. He was in attendance at the GRC kickoff at Irwindale Speedway in late March as a spectator and will be in the Ford Fiesta the Global RallyCross Championship event at Pikes Peak International Raceway and again at X Games.
“I would like the welcome ‘The General” to Ford,” said Jamie Allison, director, Ford North America Motorsports. “Brian Deegan is a true pioneer in action sports who has won at the highest level in everything he has competed in be it motocross, surpercross, freestyle motocross and short course trucks. Brian is a competitor and brings versatility to our action sports program not only with his racing background but with the Metal Mulisha team of riders and their fan outreach opportunities.”
“Racing’s been in my blood since I was a little kid and joining forces with Ford is something that I have always dreamed of,” Deegan said. “I look forward to winning more championships with them.”
Deegan Featured on MensHealth.com!
In the segment, entitled, “Capture Your Action; X-Games champ Brian Deegan reviews wearable cams” Brian reviews three hot new body-mounted cameras. Brian gave tips to the viewers on the best way to utilize the cameras saying “I mount mine on my helmet because of the vibrations from the dirt bike. By putting it on your helmet your neck and body actually act as a suspension for it and keep the camera very stable.”
Click Here for the Full Review of Cameras
Jeremy Lusk Memorial Ride Day!
It has been two years today as we lost a friend so close to our hearts, Mulisha Family member and a legend in the sport, Jeremy Lusk. On this day two years ago, Lusk had an amazing 2008 season, in which Jeremy took home the Freestyle Gold & Best Trick Silver at X Games. Topping it off, Lusk landed the first ever double grab Heart Attack backflip. Lusk also won both Freestyle and Best Trick Gold at the X Games in Mexico. From X Games, Lusk finished third overall in FMX Freestyle on the 2008 Dew Tour, and earned a Bronze helmet at the Moto X World Championships.
Jeremy touched, motivated and impressed everyone in a unique way and he will always be missed and never forgotten. To celebrate in his honor, the 1st Annual Jeremy Lusk Memorial Ride Day is being held at Pala Raceway, CA today at 9:30am pacific time.
Riding With: Brian Deegan
The feature, entitled ³Riding With: Brian Deegan, discussed Brian's career, the X Games, and his role as CEO of Metal Mulisha. Our company is different from all the rest since we're athletes first, so we know what customers want, said Brian. All these other clothing companies pay us to endorse their stuff, but here we are, making it ourselves. We are the real deal. No other company has the same vibe we do, which gives us an edge.
You can view the full four-page on Brian Deegan at YRB Magazine Online
